Ashy-tailed Swift
Encyclopedia
The Ashy-tailed Swift is a swift
which is endemic to northern and central Venezuela
.
The taxonomy
of this group is confusing. The larger and far more widespread Sick's Swift
was previously regarded as a subspecies
of the Ashy-tailed Swift, but Marín (1997) found that Sick's Swift was closer to the Chimney Swift
. Marín further suggested that the Ashy-tailed Swift was identical to Vaux's Swift
of the subspecies aphanes. If following this approach, andrei (with aphanes as a junior synonym) becomes a subspecies of Vaux's Swift. This, however, is considered mistaken by Restall et al. (2006), where it is mentioned that they, while virtually identical under normal field conditions, actually do differ and also have different behavior and habitat preferences (Ashy-tailed Swift prefers forested lowland rivers, while Vaux's Swift race aphanes prefers mountain slopes).
Swift
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
which is endemic to northern and central Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
The taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of this group is confusing. The larger and far more widespread Sick's Swift
Sick's Swift
The Sick's Swift is a species of swift in the Apodidae family. It was previously considered conspecific with the smaller Ashy-tailed Swift, but Marín found that Sick's Swift was closer to the Chimney Swift....
was previously regarded as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Ashy-tailed Swift, but Marín (1997) found that Sick's Swift was closer to the Chimney Swift
Chimney Swift
The Chimney Swift is a small bird .-Physical description:In flight, this bird looks like a flying cigar with long slender curved wings. The plumage is a sooty grey-brown; the throat, breast, underwings and rump are paler. They have short tails.-Reproduction:The breeding season of Chimney Swifts is...
. Marín further suggested that the Ashy-tailed Swift was identical to Vaux's Swift
Vaux's Swift
Vaux's Swift is a small swift native to North America and northern South America. It was named for the American scientist William Sansom Vaux.-Description:...
of the subspecies aphanes. If following this approach, andrei (with aphanes as a junior synonym) becomes a subspecies of Vaux's Swift. This, however, is considered mistaken by Restall et al. (2006), where it is mentioned that they, while virtually identical under normal field conditions, actually do differ and also have different behavior and habitat preferences (Ashy-tailed Swift prefers forested lowland rivers, while Vaux's Swift race aphanes prefers mountain slopes).
External links
- Marín, M. (1997). Species limits and distributions of some New World Spine-tailed Swifts (Chaetura spp.). Ornithological Monographs 48: 431-443.
- Restall, R., M. Rodner, & M. Lentino (2006). Birds of Northern South America. Vol. 1: Species Accounts. Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-7242-0